Death In Lyrics: 5 Rappers Who Predicted Their Own Deaths

A side of rap that is consistently overlooked is how it predicts the future at times.

Some predictions– far too many, co-exist with tragedy. The “live fast, die young” mentality appeals to many of rap’s young fans but there’s nothing glorifying about a rising artist’s life taken too soon. Death isn’t a surprise to these artists considering the inner cities from which they hail, but when death caught up to them, fans were in disbelief despite premonitions in the rappers’ lyrics. Below, check out 5 rappers whose lyrics were predictions of their own deaths.

TUPAC

Image Source, VegasSeven.com

Lyrics: “I’ve been shot and murdered, can tell you how it happened word for word/But best believe niggas gon’ get what they deserve.” ‘Niggas Done Changed’ Richie Rich Feat. Tupac

This song was released two months before Tupac was gunned down in a drive-by shooting on the Las Vegas Strip in 1996. He also predicted his death in a recently released PBS interview. After he was asked where he saw himself in the next few years; “Best case, in a cemetery.”

Death has always been at the base of most of B.I.G.’s raps. His album ‘Ready To Die’ featured many songs that touched on death; ‘Big Poppa’, ‘Juicy’, ‘Notorious B.I.G.’, and ‘Suicidal Thoughts’. The latter was eerie considering it was in his music ahead of time. Death found the Brooklyn-bred MC in 1997 during a drive-by in Los Angeles. Posthumously, his album ‘Life After Death’.

PROOF

Image Source; NahRight.com

Lyrics: “I’m in the club to beef, you gotta murder me there.” ’40 Oz’ -D12

The unsettling part about these lyrics is that they accurately represent how Proof died. Although there isn’t an authority reached account of what happened at the CCC Club April 11, 2006, it is known that Proof was intoxicated and a situation with Keith Blender escalated which ended in the death of Blender and Proof; two shots to the back and one to the back of the head took Proof’s life. His death was also foretold in Eminem’s ‘Like Toy Soldiers’ video– Proof played the rapper who is gunned down in the video.

BIG L

Image Source, en.wikipedia.org

Lyrics: “I watched them, run for they share/ And all I can do was stare/I got weak and fell on my rear/Now I can hear the sirens, that means here comes the Jakes/But it’s too late, I’m knockin’ on the pearly gates.” ‘Casualties of a Dice Game’ -Big L

Although it’s not the reason for his death, Big L’s after death LP, ‘The Big Picture’ that features the track ‘Casualties of a Dice Game’, details a dice game that ends in his death. The NYPD believe that L was gunned down in response to a conflict with his two brothers(both were in prison at the time). In 1999, Big L’s life was cut short at 24 in a drive-by shooting.

DOLLA

Image Source, en.wikipedia.org

Lyrics: “You see the rain on my window pane/Waking up in cold sweats having dreams of going out with a bang/My poppa died by the gun, I’ll die by the gun/And if I have a son he’ll probably die by the same.” ‘Georgia Nights’ -Dolla

A promising artist, Dolla, born Roderick Anthony Burton II, didn’t live to see the release of his first album. The lyrics from ‘Georgia Nights’, released just 3 days before his death, are unfortunately autobiographical. Atlanta event promoter Aubrey Berry, took Dolla’s life with 4 shots from his 9mm, in self-defense. Berry claims to have been assaulted by Dolla and his affiliates(who were part of Mansfield Crips) in an Atlanta nightclub and then later that month, taunted and followed to his car at a PF Chang’s in Los Angeles. Dolla was only 21.

Fortune telling, predicting, envisioning, whatever you want to call it, it’s straight up spine-chilling. Are you paying attention to the lyrics of your favorite rappers?!